Test drive: 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is the world's most powerful SUV, but Fox News Autos Editor Gary Gastelu says it's much more than that ... for better or worse.
Dodge is giving the people a lot more of what they want.
When the 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat was announced last year as the most powerful SUV ever made, Dodge said it would only build 2,000 of the 710 hp Hellcat V8-powered three-row vehicles before the model was discontinued at the end of the year, but the $83,160 vehicles sold out quickly.
The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is the world's most powerful SUV. (Dodge)
In April, Dodge said it would be making a few more than planned to help meet demand and has now revealed that to be just over 1,000.
"We were able to do some optimization at the plants, we had sold orders in the dealer system," Dodge sales head Matt McAlear told Muscle Cars and Trucks.
"There won’t be a ‘22 model year so we wanted to take advantage of the situation where we could."
The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by a 710 hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8. (Dodge)
A Dodge spokesman confirmed the number to Fox News Autos, which represents a 50% increase in production achieved despite the challenges posed by the semiconductor shortage affecting the automotive industry.
The model won't be offered in 2022 due to more strict emissions standards going into effect and an all-new Durango is expected to launch soon. That means the Durango SRT Hellcat may be rarer than the 808 hp 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon muscle car, of which 3,300 were made for the U.S. and Canada.
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The Durango SRT Hellcat is capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, hitting a top speed of 180 mph and towing 8,700 pounds. Anyone looking for a Hellcat powered vehicle that can haul both ways like that next year will still be able to get one in the form of the Ram 1500 TRX, which is the world's most powerful pickup … for now.